One of the things I miss most about Caleb's early months, besides all the cuteness, of course, is the fact that he could be dragged out almost anytime of the day. The only hindrance then was the nursing issue. I am not one for nursing in public anytime, anywhere, but that is another blog post entirely.
As those months began to slip through my fingers, I realized it was time for developing a routine and sticking to it. First, I had to battle the sleep issues, but that is also another blog post entirely, one which I do plan to write.
I thought it would be fun to write about what a typical day looks like for me and Caleb. Nothing exciting here, folks, but in case I forget, someday I can look back and read this. (Provided the internet doesn't crash and we revert back to primal ways of living. Then I'm out of luck.)
5:00-5:30: Caleb wakes up, and thus MY day begins. Lord help me if he wakes before 5. It is a never-ending wish on my part that he sleep longer, but he just won't. On the rare day he has slept until 6, and I swear the angels were singing. And PLEASE don't be one of those people that suggests I put him down later. If it were that easy, don't you think I would be doing just that? If I put him down later, and it has been done here and there, he does not sleep later, folks. The only thing that has happened is that he loses additional sleep because he still gets up at the same time.
5:30-5:45: I go and get the cute little stinker, after leaving him in his crib for a little while as I fight my own morning heavy eyelids. I always nurse him first thing, usually in our bed, because I am too tired for anything else.
6:00 or so: Change Caleb's diaper and get him dressed for the day. (I used to keep him in his pjs longer, but I have issues with him crawling on the floor in his pajamas. I'd rather him crawl in play clothes, so I just get him dressed early.) Then it's out to the kitchen where I give him some of his cereal puffs/yogurt melts (not a real breakfast yet, since he just nursed), and I get Brian's packed-the-night-before lunch bag out and make my coffee.
6:30: We say goodbye to Daddy, and I put Caleb in his pack 'n play, where I wheel him to the hallway next to the bathroom. I take a quick shower, knowing he's safe in the pack 'n play, and keeping the door ajar for good measure. After shower, get dressed, wheel Caleb in pack 'n play to living room, start one of his Einstein videos, and I quickly run downstairs to throw a load of laundry in. (On diaper wash days, it is one of two loads.)
6:50 or so: Call my sister. I begin most weekdays by calling my sis, fellow stay-at-home mom. (Of course, she has four, including identical troublemaker/cuties Matthew and Nathan, so her life is way more hectic than mine.) No doubt, if we lived close to one another, I'd see my sister all the time, so I have to settle for the phone. I prepare Caleb's breakfast, usually cereal and fruit, though sometimes I do a scrambled egg, and on weekends when Daddy is home, usually waffles or pancakes. After he is fed, I release him! He's off to crawl/play in the living room/dining room/kitchen area. I make myself breakfast, too, all while chatting with my sis, and while stopping to play with Caleb here or there. (Only with very close family members can you have these kinds of conversations whilst doing other things at the same time.)
8:15: Scoop the boy up and take him to his room. I worked hard to develop a nap routine for the boy who never slept in his crib. I change his diaper (remember- cloth need to be changed more frequently than disposable), and I usually have to nurse him just to calm him down. He hates nap time, and I'm hoping to wean him off the nap time nursings when Brian is home to help this summer. (He won't go looking for milk if Daddy puts him down.) I DO NOT let him fall asleep while nursing. It is only to calm him down. (That, again, is a whole other blog post.) I read six or seven books to him, and then I put him down with a quick prayer, turn his sound machines on, and I leave the room. He *usually* goes right out, but you never know. As far as how long he is out, your guess is as good as mine. Yesterday, both naps were thirty minutes. Today, as I write, he is still asleep after one hour and ten minutes or so. I usually use his first nap to attack laundry, brush my teeth, get myself together if we need to run to the store, or simply whatever needs doing.
9:15-9:45: Caleb wakes up. I finish nursing him, and then if I have an errand to run, we go off immediately after. Otherwise, it is back for some play.
10:15-10:30: Morning snack. Usually cereal puffs and yogurt melts. He can't get enough of those things. It might be time to check the diaper.
11:30: Lunch time! I start him off with a piece of cheese. He gobbles that up like a starving man. He loves cheese. I often give him a veggie chicken nugget and some kind of fruit. Some days he might have some beans.
12:15 or so: I begin another nap routine, and unless he's had a fantastically long early nap, he is usually in the crib by 12:30. If he has a longer morning nap than usual, (like today!), he will go down a bit later. I usually go ahead and eat lunch and use the time either to relax (HA!), or do some kind of chore, mainly the latter.
1:30: He is usually up by this time, with exceptions, of course. We go play, and I am also working more training sessions into our day, so that is a part of things, too. From this point on, I try to do my work while being involved with him, too. If I need to work in the kitchen, I do so, stopping to play at times or hold on to Caleb when in a precarious position, or correct him if he's disobeying. We also stop for a snack for Caleb- usually yogurt. I sometimes do an afternoon errand, but not usually. (We'll do more things in the summer, for sure, when Brian is off.)
4:00: If it's not a long night for Daddy, he might come home somewhere around this time. Caleb eats dinner at 4:15 or so. If Daddy is home, he's in for some really silly times and hard-core rough and tumble. It is rather boring if it is just me.
5:00 or so: Brian and I may eat dinner now if it is all ready.
6:00: Begin Caleb's bedtime routine. Nursing, bath if it is bath night, brushing his teeth, getting him dressed, and reading several stories in his room. If Brian is home, we both are part of the routine, otherwise it is just me. The very last thing I do is nurse him and I take the time to pray for him out loud while he nurses, then we give kisses and put him in the crib, usually by 6:30. He *usually* goes right out. (You NEVER know.)
6:30: I clean up the toys in the living room and Caleb's bath stuff if he had bath. Brian and I might eat dinner if we didn't already do so. In any case, I clean up the kitchen. I won't usually get to settle down until well after 7. If Brian is working at his second job, I'll be waiting to feed him as soon as he comes home.
9:30 or so: We are usually ready for bed. I might sit and read for a little while, but I like to be tucked in around this time, ready to settle my mind as I wind down for the day.
